What I Have Learned

What I have learned during this project:

1) Communication is extremely important in team work.
From start to finish, all members work to be on the same page and maintain a unified vision. Communicating (about meetings or project ideas) as well as fixing mis-communications is time consuming, but vital. It is valuable for all team members and mentors to be part of these constant, even daily, communications as much as possible.

2) Flexibility is a key ingredient in team work.
It is inevitable that in the course of communication changes in vision and team approach will take place.

3) Virtual project groups are possible and can even be successful.
After initial agreement upon a virtual work space and communication system (which may be made quicker through the availability of ALA Connect), work can be successful during virtual meetings. While email communication can be easy to lose track of (when inbox amounts and other responsibilities are high), the team project can still be communicated and carried on between available members. An email trail allows current communication to be visible to the entire team and can be referred to as needed.


While the first two points are ones I was already aware of, my involvement in the Emerging Leaders has allowed me to transfer that knowledge to another type of experience. It has also underlined the importance of these two concepts.

Annual Conference Schedule (Planned)

Italicized events are personal, sight-seeing events, not professional, Conference related sessions.

Thursday, July 9
Depart from Ohio at 6:45 p.m.
Arrive in Chicago at 7:20 p.m.

Friday, July 10
8:30 - 3:00 Emerging Leaders Meeting
3:00 - 5:00 Emerging Leaders Poster Session
5:00 - 9:00 Free admission to Chicago Institute of Art

Saturday, July 11
8:00 – 10:00 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee/Subcommittee Meetings
10:30 – 12:00 Cuentos de las Americas: Celebrating Latino Cultures and Dia with Recent Outstanding Latino Children’s Books
1:30 – 3:00 Emerging Leaders Salon
3:30 – 5:30 USBBY/YALSA present “Mixing It Up: The Process of Bringing International Children’s Books to the US”
8:00 – 10:00 Stories for a Saturday Evening with Storytellers Tim Tingle.Dovie Thomason

Sunday, July 12
9:00 – 2:00 Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Tour
3:30 - 5:30 Using Historic Children’s Literature to Motivate Children to Read: Highlights from 15 Years of the Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship Award

Monday, July 13
8:00 - 9:30 ALSC President’s Program featuring Melba Pattillo Beals
9:45 – 11:45 Volunteer at ALSC Booth
1:30 – 3:00 State Academic Standards + Library Programs = Educationally Enhanced Children’s Programs
3:30 – 5:30 Odyssey Award Presentation and Program
5:30 – 7:30 Our Children Can Soar

Tuesday, July 14
6:30 – 9:00 Final Emerging Leader Task – Attend the Coretta Scott King 40th Anniversary Breakfast
Depart Chicago at 2:16

Call to Action -- Save Our Libraries

Governor Strickland’s proposed budget cuts will reduce library funding by 50 percent. This severe cut would devastate our Mahoning County library system, as well as libraries throughout Ohio.

Libraries will be forced to close.

Please consider calling or emailing the Governor and your legislators to urge them to keep library funding strong. Let them know libraries are essential!
Use the information below or email them using our handy web form at http://www.libraryvisit.org/budget.cfm


The budget will be decided by June 30. Immediate action is required. Names, phone numbers and email addresses are listed below. Also, you can visit our website, libraryvisit.org, for a one-click form to email legislators.

Thank you for your support.

Governor Ted Strickland(614) 466-3555
State Rep. Mark D. Okey - 61st District(614) 466-1464Email: district61@ohr.state.oh.us

State Rep. Robert F. Hagan -60th District(614) 466-9435Email: district60@ohr.state.oh.us

State Rep. Ronald V. Gerberry - 59th DistrictPhone: (614) 466-6107Email: district59@ohr.state.oh.us

Ohio Senator Joseph Schiavoni - 33rd DistrictPhone: 614/466-8285Email: sd33@maild.sen.state.oh.us

Conference Committee for Budget Bill
Rep. Vernon Sykes district44@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Jay P. Goyal district73@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Ron Amstutz district03@ohr.state.oh.us
Sen. Dale Miller SD23@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Sen. John Carey SD17@senate.state.oh.us
Sen. Mark Wagoner SD02@senate.state.oh.us

Ohio Budget Cuts

I have just heard Governor Strickland's proposed budget cuts, and their unfathomable impact on Ohio libraries, including those in Mahoning County.

http://www.libraryvisit.org/

Please look at the news release link at the bottom left of the page for further explanation.

Please pass on this information.

Bookmark for February -- Coretta Scott King Author/Illustrator

A second team member created another example of the monthly themed, bookmark idea. This one is for February, the month the team suggested highlighting the Coretta Scott King authors and illustrators themselves.

(Front: One of the author or illustrator's titles briefly described.)

(Back: A brief bio of the chosen author or illustrator.)

Bookmark for May -- Family Theme

This bookmark visual was completed by a fellow team member. It is one example of our monthly themes, bookmark idea. Creating a themed bookmark for each month markets the Coretta Scott King Winners and Honorees as books that can be chosen, used, and bought throughout the year and for any age level.

(Front: Age appropriate title suggestions for Infants/Toddlers/Preschoolers, Pre-K and Kindergarteners, First and Second Graders, Third and Fourth Graders, and Fifth and Sixth Graders based on our team's chosen May theme of "Family.")

(Back: Age appropriate suggestions for Teens and Young Adults

based on our team's chosen May theme of "Family.")